Mission Statement

The ultimate goal of the University of Illinois 2012 iGEM team is to construct an RNA based PUF protein toolkit which may be utilized for the manipulation of gene expression. Customizable manipulation will involve gene silencing by specific RNA scission. Also, the PUF protein's properties also allow for its use in optimizing multi-step enzymatic pathways. In this way, we aim to improve the versatility and cost efficiency of biological production systems by use of our toolkit. In developing a protein based RNA binding toolkit, researchers will be able to transmute the biobricked PUF to do what is necesary for their scientific endeavors. We seek to standardize and characterize the nature of PUF.

Our Research Outside of PUF Itself

Aside from our main project researching the RNA specific affinity of PUF and its respective endonuclease fusion protein variants, we have also devoted time and resources into exploring and testing other potential applications for PUF. Mainly, our ancillary projects directly related to PUF include research involving our RNA scaffold and an enzymatic assembly line based on such a scaffold.
Additionally, we have characterized the 2011 University of Washington iGEM team's Petrobrick (BBa_K590025).

To read more about these projects and the data we have collected, please visit their respective pages. You can reach them either through hovering over the "Ancillary" tab or by clicking the hyperlinks in this section. Outside the dry and wetlab, we have put forth great efforts in our human practices and the public education of science and biology. To learn more, please visit our Outreach section

In utilizing the versatility of the PUF based toolkit we are developing, our current research involves an engineered metabolic pathway. The characterization and standardization of these genes in biobrick format is underway. Future goals involving the PUF toolkit will focus on tethering enzymes of productive artificial or natural pathways for kinetic favorability.

This is the PUF protein found on the PUM1 gene in humans. Our main focus and cause of interest in this protein is its ability to recognize single stranded RNA with specificity. The ability to modify PUF with tethered or fused proteins allows for the development of a customizable RNA binding toolkit. Depending on what fusion or tether is used, the functionality of the PUF protein is modified as well.

In fusion the PUF protein to a restriction endonuclease, the fusion protein demonstrates the ability to cleave single stranded RNA molecules with customizable specificity up to eight base pairs. Considering this ability, we believe PUF can prove itself as a promising new tool in researching and developing new types of gene therapy as it can silence genes with seqeunces specific to a reseachers interest.>

Since PUF has affinity towards RNA molecules, it is possible to synthesize or utilize existing stemloop structures in RNA in order to provide a kinetically favorable platform for tethered proteins to interact.